Waiting for Christmas

She wanted a unicorn for Christmas but, in the meantime, Santa’s magic reindeer brought him down from the North Pole to ride around with the fire fighters and deliver gummy lifesavers to the children in Camp Hill. “Santa is the best, Momma!”

I caught them piling their leftover weenie beenies in Jason’s bowl, when he left the room for a moment.

Jason’s company holiday party was cancelled at the last moment, but Grandma Deanna still came over to babysit, so we could go out for dinner.

She did not know that Uncle Carl was playing Santa at the Harrisburg Fire Museum, but luckily she’d worn her best tiara for the visit.

When Finn didn’t like his breakfast treat, Thea showed some holiday spirit and gave him some of hers.

In Kindergarten, the stockings were hung by the chimney with care.

She brushed elbows with BOTH Santa and Mrs. Claus.

She showed me her classroom Christmas tree and where she’d placed the snowman ornament she’d made at home. Each child made an ornament for the tree.

Can you tell Finn’s teacher is an Elvis fan? This is the door to the Preschool Classroom… Finn is in gray sweatpants, in the lower-center of Graceland’s lawn, forming a snowball.

“I’ll have a Blue Christmas without you!”
Thea hid from my camera during her holiday program at school.
In Preschool, Finn refused to sing the songs they’d practiced but enjoyed the cookies and juice served afterwards.
Thea went to the dentist, showed us her newest wiggly teeth, and received a clean bill of tooth-health.

And then, a little over a week before Christmas, the moving truck arrived to move us to our new house.

It was a cold, cold morning with a little snow on the ground.
At the new house, Finn and Thea sat nearby as the movers moved through the house.
The iPad helped pass some of the time.
The next morning, they found their ponies and rode them around the new house.

We enjoyed the Hale oranges and grapefruits that Aunt Dana sent as a treat.

The next morning, our elves began appearing. Thea was so relieved they’d found our new address. Sparkle helpfully whipped up a batch of icing for the Irish Christmas Cake.

And Jason and Thea made the marzipan layer. “Panning” the cake, as Thea says.

We unpacked and put up our Christmas tree.
Thea put her prized butterfly decals on the walls of her new bedroom.
“Don’t touch me, Momma. I don’t want to lose my elf magic.”
On Christmas Eve day, Uncle Carl and Aunt Jul brought sleds for Finn and Thea.
“Fast Finn” and “Lightning Thea” are their sledding names.
Nonna and Baba were there too, for the wonderful eggs benedict brunch with Uncle Carl and Aunt Jul – our first visitors in our new house!
After brunch, Nonna helped with a floor puzzle.
Later, Jason and Thea smoothed the final icing layer and decorated the Irish Christmas Cake.
So pleased with the finished cake!
They peeked at the snow flurries outside.
And prepared their cookie plate for Santa.
The next morning, Jason read the letter that Santa had left behind, while Thea seemed a little distracted by the gifts under the tree.
It’s been a Star Wars Christmas, and Jason also enjoyed the stuffed Vader and Yoda that Santa (Uncle John) had delivered for Finn and Thea.
Thea struck her balance of pink Minnie Mouse and Darth Vader.
She wanted a unicorn for Christmas…
Later, at my parents’ house, Baba opened the Clive Cussler book that Santa had delivered to our house accidentally.
Finn and Thea concentrated on their gifts from Nonna and Baba.
We had a wonderful Christmas dinner.
And, after 8 weeks of Jameson whiskey feedings, the Irish Christmas Cake was finally fed to us.